Process of making transparency-signs.



rvr'rnn STATES PATENr QFFICE.

HENRY A. SMITH, OF OOSHOOTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE STANDARDADVERTISING COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF SAME PLACE.

PHUBESS OF MAKING TRANSPARENCY-SIGNS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 642,270, dated January30, 1 900.

Application filed March 10, 1399. Serial No. 708,563. (No specimens.)

T rrZl whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Coshocton, in the county of Ooshocton and State of 5 Ohio,have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture ofTransparent Signs and Labels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of IO transparent signs, labels,wrappers, orsheets particularly designed for advertising and decorativepurposes and adaptedfor attachment to transparent supporting-surfaces,such as glass.

In multicolored printingin connection with the preparation oftransparent signs and la bels it is necessary to use a paper ofcomparatively light weight and of a peculiar texture, adapting it notonly to properly receive the impression, but to be rendered transparentby a coating of varnish, so that the words, characters,drawings, ordevices may be printcd upon the reverse side of the object-sheet andviewed therethrough. In practice 1 prefer, for instance, to use a paperwhich in sheets of seventeen by twenty-two inches runs about seven andone-half pounds to the ream, this being about the maximum weight whichcan be employed for securing satisfactory re- 0 sults. In lithographing,or surface printin g, as distinguished from type or letter-press (knownas relief printing, from zinc or copper plates, and particularly inmulticolored printing, where the characters compos- 5 in g a design areof different colors or combinations of colors and are appliedsuccessively, it has been found that paper of the weight suitable fortransparency labels and signs is liable to stretch and becomedistorted,where- 0 by the object-sheet cannot be printed successively ina plurality of colors to a register, by which is meant that thedistortion of the sheet prevents the proper and uniform meeting andjoining of the colors and also prevents the proper registration of thedifferent parts of the printing member with the corresponding parts ofthe previously-printed portions of the design. Lithographing or surfaceprinting causes this stretching or straining of the object-sheet, forthe reason that the entire area of the stone comes into heavy contactwith the opposing tympan, which is of rubberor analogous material, and

it frequently occurs that the sheet will be not only strained andstretched,but fractured and otherwise mutilated, and while thisstretching and straining of the object-sheet is not noticeable inconnection with reliefprint ing, as by means of type or letter-presses,from the fact that in relief-printing only that area orsurface whichprints comes in contact with the opposingtympan, which is provided witha hard smooth surface, the printing by the lithograph or surface processis preferable as producing a more decorative and finished design and asbeing otherwise suited to the present requirements of the trade in thisclass of work. Thus as the article cannot be produced satisfactorilyfrom paper of greater weight or different texture and yet secure thedesired transparency of the resulting sheet, and as paper of the properweight and texture cannot be handled upon a lithograph-press,particularly in multicolored printing, 011 account of the stretching andnon-registering of the impressions, it becomes necessary in order toobtain the advantages-of lithographic work to provide a process oftreating the object-sheet whereby the proper registration of thecharacters and colors may be insured, and So to provide such a processis an object of my invention.

In attaining this object my invention 0011- sists, essentially, inproviding the objectsheet with a backing-sheet applied to theobject-sheet before the latter is subjected to strain or, in otherWords, prior to the printing and so securing the backing-sheet to theobject-sheet, adhesively or otherwise, as to prevent the objectionablestretching and in- 0 sure the desired printing to register.

Furthermore, my invention consists in providing a backingsheet which isnot only stronger and thicker than the object-sheet, butis of a softertexture,whereby it is adapted 5 to serve as a cushion to relieve theobjectsheet of the strain of the impression and also to strengthen theobject-sheet at the gripperline or at that edge engaged by the grippersof the lithographing-press, whereby the frac- I00 ture and mutilation ofthe sheet by means of the grippers are prevented. Also saidbacking-sheet is adapted to form a reasonably stiff and even edge forcontact with the side guides, whereby the proper register in theprinting of the object-sheets is maintained.

Various means may be employed for properly securing the object-sheet tothe backingsheet preparatory to passing them through thelithograph-press; but in practice I prefer to proceed as follows: Theobject-sheet is first coated on one'side with a clarifying-varnish ofany suitable composition, any of those varnishes now known as adaptedfor this purpose being suitable in connection with my improved process.These coated sheets are then laid singly in trays for a length of timesufficient to allow them to partly dry or partly oxidize, but notharden. It is obvious that the length of time necessary to secure thispartialhardening of the varnish coating will vary according to thecomposition of the varnish; but before the varnish becomes sufficientlydry to entirely resist the effect of pressure or, in other words, is sodry as to be non adhesive the object-sheets are interleavedwith-backing-sheets of paper having a loose or soft texture, and a packor bundle of these interleaved alternately-arranged object and backingsheets to a thickness of, for

instance, five-eighths of an inch, is introduced at one edge between thejaws of a screw-press or between two fiat rules adapted to be arrangedin a screw-press or similar device. Pressure being applied to the edgeof the pack or bundle of interleaved sheets, it is obvious that thevarnish-coated surface of each object-sheet will adhere (throughout anarea equal with that to which pressure is applied) to the adjacentbacking-sheet, and therefore when the object-sheets are removed from thepress each will be found to be attached at one edge to a backing-sheet,while the remaining portion of the surface of the object-sheet or thatportion which was not subjected to pressure remains free or unconnectedwith the backing-sheet. It is essential in carrying out the presentinvention that the transparent object-sheet and the backing-sheet beheld together along a single line of contact and entirely disconnectedat all other points. This is rendered necessary by reason of the factthat the design is impressed upon the object-sheet by astonelithographic process in a cylinder-press. In operating with alithographic press of this type it would be entirely impracticable tojoin the sheets together at two, three, or four edges, because if thetwo sheets are joined except along the front edge or gripper-line thesofter sheet will necessarily wrinkle very badly and entirely destroythe effect of the work. Inasmuch as the joined object and backing sheetsare caught by the line of grippers at one edge and make the revolutionwith the cylinder over the stone carrying the impres sion, said sheetsmust be separate and free except just at the point or edge where thegrippers take and hold the same. By reason of thus assembling the objectand backing sheets there is no tendency whatever of the same to wrinkleas they are carried around with the cylinder of the press, inasmuch asthe direction in which they are rotated necessarily tends to smooth thesame out rather than having the opposite effect,and in this par ticularalone the present process is radically differentfrom the ordinarylithographic processes now in vogue for manufacturing transparency signsand labels. Another advantage to note in this connection is that noforeign adhesive agent is employed to join-the object and backing sheetstogether along the single line of contact, inasmuch as the materialwhich clarifies the paper is utilized to secure the necessary adherence,and this has been found sufficient for all practical purposes and toprovide for holding the backingsheet to the object-sheet not only duringthe printing operation, but also until it is ready to apply the sign orlabel to a window. The reinforced object-sheets are now coated withvarnish upon the other side or the side remote from the backing-sheet,and when the second coating of varnish has been allowed to drysufficiently the reinforced sheets are ready for introduction into thelithographing-press to receive the successive impressions necessary toproduce the desired colors composing the dc sign. The backing-sheet, towhich the ob ject-sheet is attached, serves to relieve the ob ject-sheetof the strain due to the yielding of the tympan of the press and at thesame time compensates by its own compression for any inequalitiesin thesurface of the stone, thereby producinga cushioning effect which insuresa satisfactory impression of the charac ters and figures composing thedesign. After the completion of the printing step of the process theface of the object-sheet or the side thereof which is opposite to thatreceiving the impression of the design maybe coated with a suitableadhesive material,also transparent, to avoid obstructing the view of thedesign, this adhesively-prepared or gummed surface thus being toward thebacking-sheet and being protected by the backing-sheet until such timeas it may be desired to apply the sign or label to glass or othersupporting-surface, when, of course, the backing-sheet is removed.

In order that the nature of my invention may be more fully understood, Ihave illustrated, in v Figure 1 a view of the object-sheet and the IIOattached backing sheet as seen preparatory varnish to partly dry, inaccordance with the foregoing description, said object-sheets 10 and thebacking-sheets 11 are interleaved, as shown in Fig. 2, and a bundle orgroup of such interleaved sheets is arranged between the jaws 12, whichmay be the members of a press'or may be straight edges or rulers appliedto the strips preparatory to introduction in a press. To force thesejaws 12 toward each other to compress the interposed edges of theinterleaved sheets and produce the necessary adhesion, respectively, ofthe objectsheets to the backing-sheets, the pairs of sheets are removedand appear as indicated in Fig. 1, where the shaded surface 13represents the adhering portions of the object andbacking sheets. Theexterior surface of the object-sheet or that which is remote from thebacking sheet 11 is now coated with the clarifying-varnish and isallowed to dry, after which the sheet, as shown in Fig. 1, is introducedinto the lithograph-press and passes therethrough the necessary numberof times to secure the desired impressions of the characters and colors,whereupon, if the design or exterior configu ration of the printrequire, the same may be stamped out, as indicated in Fig. 3, it beingunderstood that the design is stamped upon the rear surface of theobjectsheet, whereby the figures and characters are viewed through thesheet and also through the transparent sup porting-surface, to which thedesign is attached when in use.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that I accomplish theprinting upon the varnished surface of the object-sheet, and while thead vantages of the backing-sheet or the reinforcement of theobject-sheet may be attained independently of said specific method ofprinting I prefer the described order of steps in the manufacture oftransparent signs and labels as producing a more finished article havingincreased durability. It will be seen, furthermore, that by applying theclarifying-varnish to the objectsheet preparatory to printing saidsheetl secure a uniformity in the transparency, which may un-, dercertain circumstances be varied when the impression of the design isaccomplished upon the object-sheet previous to the clarifying thereof.Furthermore, it is obvious from the foregoing description that byproviding the object-sheet, at least upon one side, with a coating ofthe clarifying-varnish I am enabled to utilize this coat of varnish asthe adhesive medium for attaching the object-sheet along the line offorced contact to the backing or reinforcing sheet, whereby theapplication of auxiliary means for this purpose requiring a further stepin the process is avoided. The same medium which is employed forclarifying the paper thus serves to adhesively secure the backing orreinforcing sheet, as I have found that by subjecting the varnishedsheet to pressure at a certain stage in the drying thereof I am enabledto utilize a certain adhesive quality which is inherent in any of theclarifying-varnishes of which I am aware. In other words, it is notnecessary that the clarifying-varnish possess any auxiliary adhesiveingredient, but simply that the interleaving of the object and backingsheets shall occur at an intermediate state in the drying of the varnishcoat, whereby the surface when unsubjected to pressure will not adhereto the object-sheet, but when subjected to pressure will be affected toaccomplish the desired adhesive engagement.

It has been pointed out at length whyit is necessary to the successfulcarrying out of the invention that the transparency or object sheet andthe backing-sheet should be joined solely along a single line of contactat one edge thereof, while being disconnected from each other at allother points, and it may be further observed that the separate sheetsremain thus connected until the sign or label is to be attached to aglass. It will thus be seen that the paper backing-sheet, which isoriginally joined to the transparent objectsheet along the front edge orgripper-line, accompanies the object or transparency sheet through thegumming-machine and is cut up with the signs or labels in a finaloperation,

thus becoming the instruction-sheet, upon which the necessaryinstructions for using the sign or label may be printed. Without such aninstruction-sheet a similar sheet would have to be added to the sign orlabel. In this connection it will be noted that after the completion ofthe sign or label the backing-sheet not only serves as aninstructionsheet, upon which directions for using are printed, but atthe same time forms a protective sheet for the sign or label until it isready to attach the same to a glass.

In using the sign or label the same, with the backing or instructionsheet attached, is dipped in water to permit of the separation of theseparate sheets and the application of the gummed side of the sign orlabel to the glass.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. As an improvement inthe manufacture of lithographic transparency-signs and the like, theprocess consisting of joining solely along a single line of contact, atransparent object-sheet and a backing-sheet, and subsequently passingthe object-sheet, with the backing-sheet attached, through the press.

2. In the manufacture of lithographic transparency-signs and the like,the process consisting of joining solely along a single line of contact,a varnish-clarified obj ect-sheet and a pliable backing-sheet, andsubsequently passing the object-sheet, with the backing-sheet attached,through the press.

3. In the manufacture of lithographic trans parency-signs and the like,the process which consists in adhesively joining solely along a singleline of contact, a varnish-clarified object-sheet and a backing-sheet,and leaving said sheets free and disconnected at all other ICC and ofsofter texture than the same, and subsequently passing the object-sheet,with the.

backing-sheet attached, through the press.

6. In the manufacture of lithographic .muli ticolor transparency-signsand the like, the

process consisting of coating the object-sheet with clarifying-varnish,applying a backing.-

sheet to the varnish-coated surface of the object-sheet, causing theadhesion of the two sheets solely by compression along a single line ofcontact without extra adhesive mate-- rial, and subsequently passing theobjectsheet, with the backing-sheet attached, through the press,substantially as described.

7. In the manufacture of lithographic multicolor transparency-signs andthe like, the process consisting of coating the object-sheet at one sidewith a clarifying-varnish, then applying a backing-sheet to saidvarnishcoated surface of the object-sheet, and joining the same theretoalong a single lineof contact, then applying a coat of clarifyingvarnishto the opposite surface of the objectsheet, and finally applying aprinted character or design to a varnished surface of the object-sheet.

8. In the manufacture of transparency signs, labels, and other articles,the hereindescribed process consisting of coating the object-sheet withclarifyingvarnish, partly dry-ing said varnish, then applying a backingor reinforcing sheet to the Varnish-coated surface of the object-sheet,then causing adherence of the object-sheet to the backing-sheet upon aline of forced contact, and subsequently applying a printed character ordesign'to the obj ect-sheet, substantially as'specified.

'9. In the manufacture of transparency signs, labels, andother articles,the hereindescribed process consisting of coating the object-sheet atone side with a clarifying-Var- ,nish, partly drying said varnish, thenapplying a backingor reinforcing sheet to the varnish-coated surface ofthe object-sheet, then causing an adherence of the object-sheet to thebacking-sheet upon a line of forced c0ntact, then applying a coating ofclarifyingvarnis h to the exposed surface of the objectsheet, andfinally ornament-ing the exposed varnish-coated surface of theobject-sheet, substantially as specified.

10. In the manufacture of transparencysigns and the like, the processconsisting of joining solely along a single line of contact avarnish-clarified object-sheet and a backingsheet, and subsequentlyapplying a printed character or design to a varnished surface of theobject-sheet.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY A. SMITH.

Witnesses:

A. WEsTERLmD, Jos. L. RUE.

